Carrier rack or holder



y 1940. w. o. HUMPHRl ES 2,203,295

CARRIER RACK OR HOLDER Filed Jan. 19, 1939 Q MK k \N a PWMH OD mlliamafimwyb Aries,

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Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,208,295 1 CARRIER RACK on HOLDER William 0. Humphries, Memphis,

to Bry-Block Mercantile of one-half tion, Memphis, Tenn,

nessee Applicationv January 19,

, conveying systems, and the invention aims gensociated with the wrapping station, nal of a pneumatic handling of these sales,

erally to improve existing racks and holders of that type.

The arrangement of modern department stores usually provides for the placing of wrapping stations at selected places about the store where the sales clerks in nearby sections may make financial transactions with a central cashiers office, as well as have purchased articles wrapped. For this purpose there is usually asone termiconveyor system, and of course a supply of carriersv for such conveyor system must be maintained at each station.

Transactions in .modern department stores may include different types of sales, such as cash sales, charge-take sales, charge-send, C. O. D.

sales, and lay-away, sales, and to facilitate the it is desirable that the attendant at the wrapping station identify each respective kind of sale so that they may be expeditiously handled at the central cashiers office. This is advantageously accomplished by placing some distinguishing or identifying indicia on the carrier to indicate, at a glance, the type of the sale. i

The above often results in considerable untidiness at the wrapping station and frequently there is considerable loss f time caused by the wrappers hunting for the propercarrier to designate the particular sale.

My invention aims toovercome the above stated objections by providing a carrier rack or holder for wrapping stationsor conveyor terminals which will provide a means for readily segregating the carriers for different types of sales, expedite the handling of sales, and eliminate the untidy appearance of carriers lying around the station.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a rack for carriers, which will prevent the possibility of a clerk filing the carrier away until after it has been opened and emptied.

With the above and other objects in view, I have selected for illustration one embodiment of the invention, more fully described in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a rear view of the carrier rack or holder;

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof;

Tenn, assignor r r a corporation of Ten- 1939, Serial No. 251,815

J iki Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one conventional 5" type of carrier. i y

-In the illustrated embodiment of the invention there is provided a rack or holder lll having a panel of sufficient length to constitute a part of a plurality of upright containers or trays ll, for selectively holding and housing a plurality of cylindrical carriers l2, properly segregated into groups respecting different classes of sale. In the illustrated example, I have shown a rack composed of four containers or trays H for 13 housing. carriers identified for C. O. D. layaway sales; Charge-send sales; Chargetake sales; and Cash --sales, respectively, though it will be understood that the numbers of trays ll may be increased or decreased as may be desired to meet the requirements of a particular store. i

The trays ll may be formed conveniently of a back panel member l3. which may extend the entire length of the rack, divided into sections by a plurality of partition members 14 on one face thereof, each of which is preferably formed with guide members l5, extending longitudinally of the rack a definite distance on each side of the partitions l4, and in spaced relation to the back member 13. The rack is preferably provided with a bottom member l6 extending the length thereof, and is formed with hand openings centrally of each tray to facilitate access to the carriers. The guide members l5 terminate short of the bottom I6, a distance equal, at least, to the maximum diameter of the carrier l2, to provide discharge openings thereof, thus facilitating removal of the carrier l2 from the bottom of the trays II.

The carriers l2 may be of the well known type, commonly used in pneumatic despatch systems, and comprise a barrel consisting of an outer and inner shell l2 and l2 telescopically arranged and relatively rotatable, each shell having an access opening l2 which may be brought into and out of register by rotation of the shells l2 and I2 When the carrier is in closed position, i. e., with the access openings W of the shells out of register, a cylindrical peripheral surface is provided, but when the access openings l2 are in register, the openings provide a chordal recess in the peripheral surface of the carriers.

-My invention provides means to prevent the insertion of the carriers l2 in the trays when 5 projecting surface I! they are in closed position to avoid any danger that the attendant atthe carrier station fails to open the carrier to remove the change or other contents. Stated anotherway, the rack, according to my invention, includes means to insure thatthe carriers must first be opened before they are filed away for use in connection with a subsequent transaction.

each of the trays II is provided with a centrally disposed inwardly projecting surface [7, herein illustrated as comprising a vertically disposed strip attached to the back panel member l3, although it is obvious that the may be formed as an integral part of the back member. It will be apparent that one side of the trays H, as viewed in cross section (see Fig. 3) is not a plane surface and will not accommodate a wholly cylindrical body or carrier, and that said carrier must be rotated to open position so that its surface presents a chordal recess, before it may be inserted in the trays.

. The upper portion of the rack l0 and trays l I may be formed as a head member l8 providing a longitudinal channel IQ, for the reception of an indicia strip 20, carrying suitable identifying indicia for the respective trays H, as for example, C. O. D. lay-away; Charge-send; Charge-take; and Cash. Conveniently the carriers may carry suitable identifying indicia as for example, colored bands, for identification with respective trays.

The back of the rack l0 may be provided with a plurality of pockets 2| for special carriers in alignment with the respective trays l I, and formed by a front strip 22 spaced from the front panel member l3, by means of partitions 23. The pockets 20 provide receptacles for the reception of certain merchandise, delivered to the wrapping station, and this constitutes a convenient receptacle for such mercandise awaiting wrapping, while still'segregating such merchandise according to the character of sales.

Preferably a heading and indicia strip 23, similar to the strips I8-20 is provided in the front of the rack either at the top thereof, or some other prominent part, as for example the front strip 2|.

The numerous advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. A rack for pneumatic dispatch carriers of the type comprising relatively rotatable apertured cylindrical shells presenting a substantially cylindrical body having a channel means in the surface thereof when in opened position;

adjacent the bottom thereof.

3. A rack for of said carriers from the trays adjacent the bottom thereof. 

